I certainly don't blame the activists for governments refusing to listen, but this threat was clear at least 15 years ago and I would expect someone as knowledgeable as Bert Hubert to have perceived it at the time.

Is the idea that they're more ready to listen and take action because of recent executive changes in the US, even though the cost of doing so has gone up by 100-1000x and the possibility of a joint retaliation from US tech giants and the government working in concert is now much higher?

I hope you're right, but one of the rough dislocations of the present moment is the disconnect between how europeans conceive of their sovereignty and the reality of their economic, military, and cultural fragility in their relationship with the US and US companies.

No amount of grandstanding rhetoric and appeals to "courage" changes that if there are any serious economic consequences (caused by US/corporate coercion or otherwise), the government would likely fall and be replaced by someone more amenable to the status quo. What feels like a small price to pay for someone focused on security long-term may be an unacceptable price for someone focused on short-term outcomes in their political fortunes.